Electric hand lamp



Jan. 2, 1962 F. J. KIRKMAN 3,015,719

ELECTRIC HAND LAMP Filed Jan. 7, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 2, 1962 F.J. KIRKMAN ELECTRIC HAND LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1960 www@WRNNI United States Patent 3,015,719 ELECTRIC HAND LAMP Fredrick J.Kirkman, Freeport, lll., assignor to Servel,

Inc., Evansville, Ind., a corporation of Delaware V Filed Jan. 7, 1960,Ser. No. A1,044 6 Claims. (Cl. 24U-10.63)

This invention relates to electric hand lamps and more particularly amulticell lamp using a plurality of separate batteries of, for example,the iiashlight type, and aim's to provide' an improved and simplifiedystructure of this type.

ln an important aspect, the present invention contemplates, as hereshown, a separable two-part structure that embodies a battery receptacleandan offset frame, the latter including a cover part for the receptaclewhile at the same time providing a handle for the lamp and carryingterminals making electrical contacts with the batteries in thereceptacle by a sliding interconnection of the cover with thereceptacle. A contact assembly in the bottom of the battery receptacleis removable for cleaning, repair or replacement in the event of damagedue, for example, to cell leakage. The frame also carries a pivotallymounted lamp head and switch parts including a switch button.

` The advantages of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription, taken together with the accompanying drawings, showing anillustrative embodiment of the invention. Y

ln the drawings'- FIG. l is a side elevational View of the lamp;

FIG. 2 is a front View thereof;

FEG. 3 is a view of the frame separated from the batter'y receptacle;

FIG. 4 is a view' of the under-face of the fra'me shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end View thereof;

FIG. 6 is a view of the upper end of the battery vreceptacle broken awayto save space and for descriptive purposes:

FIG. 7 is a plan View of the battery receptacle looking into itsinterior, the position of the batteries being indicated in dotted lines;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary end view of parts shown in FlGS. 6 and 7; and

FIVG. 9 is an enlarged elevational sectional View of the lamp, as shownin FIG. 1, broken away to conserve space. ,A

Referring in detail to the illustrative construction shown in thedrawings, numeral 11 indicates a metal re-v ceptacle for the' batteries(cells) Afor the lamp.V The receptacle', as best see'niriy FIG. 9, iselongated to receive a plurality of dry cells of,v for example', theVordinary ilashlight type. Three dry cells 12, 13' and 14` are lherealigned in a row longitudinally/'of the can and are placed in electricalseriesl by havingthe end cells 1'2 and 14 upright and the middle' cell13 inverted.

Spring contact members for the cells are arranged in the bottom of thereceptacle 11 on alaminate'd insulating base pad 15. As herel shown, atone end of the spring contact 16, which is riveted to the base pad 1S at17, makes contact by its springtongue lda'with the negative terminal 14aof the cell 14 at 18, and, by its tail end 16h, makes a groun'drcont'actat 19` with a portion 20 of the battery receptacle. As shown in theexample, this connection is advantageously madeV with the ribvof the padbeing sloped, as at 34a, to press the cells like overlapping portion ofthe sheet metal of the reoepat 26 engages the positive central terminal13a o'f.in'

Patented Jan. 2, 1962 2, vetted een 1'3, and springtongiie 2s at 27engages' the 'negative-can terminal 12a of cell 12'. Thus, terminals 12aand 13a are .electrically connected. y

It will be noted from FIG. 9 that the pad 15 assembly in the bottom ofthe battery receptacle is not permanently fastened in place by fixedmeans but is, rather, securely held 'in' its proper position by means ofthe tail 1'6`b of conductor lstrip 16 acting as a latch. Thisarrangement provides a very convenient and therefore inexpensivel mearisfor assembling the receptacle', 'the pad subassembly ymerely being`pressed downl into position. As this is done, the end 16h of theconductor strip scrapes and tightly engages the inner surface of themetal receptacle with av continuing pressure to insure a reliableelectrical contact. For greaterl assurance against unintended liftig ofthis pad, dimplesn 11a may be impressed inwardly near the bottom of thereceptacle to Vserve as additional retaining means for the pad.

The frame is indicated generally by the numeral 28. At its top where itis openl andadapted to intereng'age with the frame, the receptacle 1 1along its longitudinal edges has a pair of outwardly directed llanges 29that are conveniently formed integrally with the side members of thereceptacle respectively, and at its rear end the upper edge isrectilinearly notched as at 30, all for 4a pur'- pose presentlyexplained. Frame 2S includes kan elongated plate 31, that, as nextdescribed, serves as a cover for the battery receptacle, and alsoincludes a bail-like wardly curled but open iianges 33 that ride,end-'to-e'nd,

onto the flanges 29 of the receptacle. The cover slides intoengagerner'itv with the battery container inthe direction indicated' byarrow A (iFIG. 3) until the cover '351 closes the receptacle 11 asiri'FIGS. l' and 9;y the frame and can before intereilgagement beingprovisionally related as in FIGS. 3 and 6 taken together. Removal of theframe, including the coverV 31', for `access to the interior of the canto replace the lcells is veffected by sliding the frame inthe oppositedirection, as indicated by arrowB (FIG. l).

Cover plate 31, best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 9, on its underface carriesyan elongated insuiating runner or pad 34, which, in t-urn,V carriesmetallic Contact strips 3S and 36 on its face. The pad is provided wit-hrecesses 34h ori thetop sidel thereof and contact strips are secured tothe pad in this instance by being-passed through slots 37 inthe'pad'intorecess 34b`andthe ends bent back' onto the bodyiof' the pad as at 38.Contact strip 35S is relatively shorthut of a dimension to make contactwith the positive4 central terminal y12b of the cell .12', While contactstrip v36 is longenough'to electrically intereconnect two of the cellsand for this purpose to make contactgwith both the negative can terminal13b of the cell 13 and the ypositive terminal 141) of cell 14. Pushingthe framev onto the battery receptacle presses the contacts carried bythev cover against the cells .and presses the cellsagainst the' springcontact tongues in the bottom of the can, already referred to, theforward edge downwardly as the cover is slid onto the receptacle.

When the frame is slid onto the receptacle 11 as previously explained',notchy or cutout 30 in the rear wall of Vthe receptacle accommodates theinsulator member 34 of the cover plate 31' astheV latter is slid ontothe can `andpermit'stlieV cover'arid can tomake'the interengagingconnection. The cover plate has a'- turnedV down rear lip 39 that coversthe'notch`30 when the frame and can are a'ssefhbld.A f

Rivets 40 thatl holdthe insulatory runner 34toy the underside of thecover 3-1 also clamp thereto the bail-like part 32 of the frame byturned-in ends 4l of the latter which the rivets pass through, themember 32 being substantially wider than it is thick. Bail-like member32 is bent up lalong each side of the longitudinal edges of its upperreach 42 to provide a trough 43 which is closed by handle cap 44 thatembraces trough 43. Trough 43 and cap 44 together not only form a handlepart agreeable to the hand but provide a hollow carrier for the switchterminals 45 `and 46 and for the exposed switch actuator or button 47and its bridge contact means, as next explained.

Terminal members 45 and 46, here shown in the form of metallic rivetscarried by the cap 44, are electrically insulated from the latter byheaded insulating sleeves 48, respectively, that pass through the capupper wall 44a under the switch button 47. Terminal rivets 4S and 46also pass through an insulating plate 49 that is secured to theunderface of the cap beneath the switch button 47 by the rivets.

Switch button 47 is shown elongated in the direction of the lamp handleand has a depending boss 50 that enters and plays in a slot 51 that isformed jointly in the upper Wall 44a of the cap and in the plate 49 andis 1ocated between terminals 45 and 46. Rivets 45 and 46 also clamp tothe plate 49 the soldering clips 45a and 46a respectively to whichconductors, presently described, are soldered. Secured to the boss S bya self-threading screw 52 is a bridging spring contact member 53elongated similarly to the switch button and slideable with it. Slidingswitch button 47 has a thumb rest 47a and is appropriately knurled at47b.

The front reach of bridge contact 53 has a dent 54 formed thereinadapted to resiliently receive the head of rivet 45 and the rear reachis similarly dented 'as at 55 to receive the head of rivet 46. The frontreach of bridge contact 53 is at its extremity ared as at 56 to guidethe bridge contact onto the rivet head 4'5 when the button 47 is slidforwardly, having previously broken contact therewith when button v47was retracted t0 the position shown in FIG. 9. Spring tail 57 adjacentsocket dent 55 is extended to maintain the bridge contact in engagementwith the rivet head 46 at all times. Depression S releasably holds theswitch button in o position and depression 54 in on position, thusproviding detents for these two positions of the button, the bridgecontact 53 being engageable with and releaseable therefrom by its springcharacter.

Side walls 43 of the handle trough are forwardly extended to formbrackets 58 on which are pivoted, on pin 58a, the arms of a clevis 59that mounts a metallic lamp head 60. Lamp head 60 carries the usualreflector 61 (FIG. 2), lamp bulb 62, glass lens 63, and bezel element63a, the latter being desirably made of plastic material as is also theswitch button 47.

When the parts are assembled as shown in FIGS. l and 9 and the switchbutton 47 is moved forwardly from the position shown in FIG. 9 to theposition in which the bridge contact member 53 receives `the rivetterminal 45 in its socket depression 54, a circuit is establishedthrough insulated Wire lead 64 that is soldered to clip 45a at 6'5 andthat extends downwardly along the frame member 32 and is soldered as at66 to contact 35, through cell 12 to tongue 25 of contact 21, throughtongue 24 of the latter to cell 13, through cell 13 to contact ystrip36, from contact 36 through cell 14 to tongue 16a of contact 16, fromend 16h of the latter through ground `19 to the metal battery container11, thence through metal frame member 32, clevis 59, metal lamp head 60,through the metal lamp bulb socket (not shown), through the filament ofthe lamp bulb 62, and through insulated Wire lead 67 (that emerges fromthe lamp head through outlet 66a) to soldering clip 46a, rivet terminal46, and back to bridge contact 53, whereupon the lamp will be lighted.When the switch button 47 is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 9,the circuit is broken and the light is extinguished.

The arrangement here described provides a compact and efficient handlamp, of a practical shape and enhanced utility, ease of insertion ofthe batteries in the can and closure by the frame being facilitated.When so closed and assembled the switch parts are desirably` isolatedfrom the battery can so that fortuitous leakage of the cells, if suchshould occur, will not injure the switch parts.`

The invention is not intended to be limited to details of constructionshown for purposes of exemplitication and it is to be understood thatsuch changes, including modications or additions, maybe made as fallwithin the scope of the appended claims, without departing therefrom.

What is here claimed is:

l. As an article of manufacture, a multicell operated electric hand lampcomprising an elongated cell receptacle, a plurality of cells arrangedin a row in said recep tacle, a frame removably mounted on saidreceptacle, said frame including a cover part for the receptacle havinga sliding mechanical and electrical interengaging connection with saidreceptacle and a bail-like handle structure spanning said cover part,and adapted to support a lamp head at the forward extremity thereof andswitch parts including a switch button thereon and electrical contactmembers carried on the under face of the cover part and insulatedtherefrom and arranged to make electrical connections with the cellssimultaneously with the securing of the cover part to said receptacle bysliding the cover part onto said receptacle.

2. The lamp of claim l including an insulating pad in the bottom of thereceptacle and wherein vertically resilient electrical contact membersare mounted in said pad and vertical dimensions for the accommodation ofthe cells are such that the cover part is ladapted to exert downwardpressure upon said cells to insure good electrical connection with theterminals of the cells.

3. In an electric hand lamp, an elongated metallic battery receptacle,aplurality of electric cells of the flashlight battery type arranged ina. row in said receptacle, an insulating pad in the bottom of saidreceptacle, electric contact members carried by said pad and arranged toelectrically ground the terminal of Ian end cell of the row to saidreceptacle and electrically connect the terminals of the balance of thecells in a part of -a series circuit, a frame including a handle Vforthe lamp and a cover for said receptacle, said frame being adapted tosupport a lamp head and a switch, an insulating pad secured to theunderside of said cover, electric contact members carried by saidlast-mentioned pad and exposed along the bottom surface thereof andengaging the upwardly facing terminals of said cells in said receptacle,said receptacle and said cover having cooperating llanges along thesides thereof for sliding interengagement whereby to mechanically securesaid receptacle to said cover and frame and simultaneously makeelectrical contact and establish series circuit connections with saidcells in said receptacle, and a switch lead wire carried 4by said frameand connected with the contact member which is in `engagement with theupwardly facing terminal of the cell remote from the cell having aterminal grounded to said receptacle.

4. Structure in accordance with claim 3 wherein the pad secured to theco-ver is provided with recesses on the top side thereof facing saidcover `and the contact members carried by said pad `are secured theretoby end portions passing through said pad int-o said recesses and thereinilanged vfor clamping engagement of said contact members with said pad.

5. Structure in accordance with claim 3 wherein the yforward edge of thepad secured to the receptacle cover `is sloped to cause said cellswithin said receptacle to be pressed downwardly as the cover is slidonto the recep- Itacle.

IFT." i

, 6 6. Structure in accordance with claim 3 wherein the strip and vsaidreceptacle and frictionally latch said pad electric contact membercarried by the pad in thebottom in position. of the receptacle andarranged to ground a cell terminal to said receptacle comprises `ztmetal-lic strip extending References Cited inthe le of this patentSlighily byOIld al1 6nd 0f Said pad, the eXIlded end 0f 5 UNITED STATESPATENTS said strip abutting the inside surface of said receptacle withpressure engagement to electrically connect said 2,628,305 Talbot etal.- Feb. l0, 1953

